Jannik Sinner labels Alcaraz injury ‘unlucky’ as he reflects on stunning winning run
Jannik Sinner says he took a few days of ‘much needed’ rest ahead of the upcoming Italian Open, while also admitting that Carlos Alcaraz has been ‘unlucky’ with his recent wrist injury.
The Italian is set to begin his campaign in Rome against either American Alex Michelsen or Austrian Sebastian Ofner.
Sinner arrives in the Italian capital riding a remarkable 28-match winning streak at Masters 1000 level and has not lost a match since February.
At the recent Madrid Open, he dismantled world No 3 Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 to become the first man to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles – including all four held so far this season.
Although Sinner remained diplomatic about his participation in Rome during his post-tournament press conference in Madrid, the world No 1 ultimately travelled to the Italian capital and took several days of ‘much needed’ rest before returning to the practice courts.
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“It’s a very, very special tournament, for us Italians even more,” commented the world No 1.
“I had a couple days off not doing anything [after Madrid]. I felt like it was very much needed. Today is the first day again. So [my] first time hitting here this afternoon. So let’s see how it goes.
“I have a couple of days to prepare. It’s not a lot, but at the same time I also know in the back of my mind that I played a lot.
“I’m very happy to be here. It has been a very special place for many, many years. Let’s see what’s coming this year.”
While the Italian Open remains one of the most prestigious events on the calendar, Sinner was open about the importance of peaking for the upcoming French Open, which takes place from May 24 to June 7.
Last season, the Italian lost to Alcaraz in a five-set final that became the second-longest Grand Slam final in history at five hours and 29 minutes.
Should he triumph at the 2026 edition, Sinner would complete the Career Grand Slam – an achievement his Spanish rival secured at the Australian Open in January.
“I think the biggest title we have and the most important is always going to be a Grand Slam, and so it’s going to be Paris, and I hope that I’m in a top-top physical and mental shape there,” the Italian responded when asked whether the Italian Open or the French Open was the bigger priority.
“So, of course, this is a very important tournament for me coming up, but I had some great, great, great results, especially this year, you know, on clay, and this gives me confidence.
“At the same time, you know, you also need to handle your body and mind in a very good way, so we decided here, you know, to rest a little bit more and then we see how it goes.”
The field in both Rome and Paris has been impacted by the absence of defending champion Alcaraz, who withdrew due to a recent wrist injury.
The Spaniard suffered the issue during his opening-round match against Finnish player Otto Virtanen at the Barcelona Open.
“I think Carlos has incredible qualities – probably unmatched at the moment,” said Sinner.
“You could see for a long time that he has the ability to reach unbelievably high levels, where it almost becomes impossible to keep up with him, but I believe I’m a very consistent player.
“I try to stay mentally focused on every single point and give my maximum all the time. Whether you’re world No 1 or No 2 doesn’t change much, because every match starts from zero and everything is decided on the court.
“Carlos has been unlucky, because if he were here the situation would be different. As for me, I’m happy with what I’m doing, but now there’s another tournament ahead.”
